Councillors give backing to redevelopment of former Limerick garda station
LIMERICK councillors have given their initial backing to the redevelopment of a former garda station in the city.
Developers have pledged to spend almost €1m to bring Mary Street garda station back into use as an office complex.
As the building is owned by the local authority, it is the councillors' role to approve or deny the sale of it to a private body, in this case, the Newenham Street Group, which has promised "a signature building enhancing the streetscape of Mary Street."
At this month's metropolitan district meeting, members were asked to note a proposal from the council to sell the building for €100,000, with the sale to be rubber-stamped at next month's full local authority meeting.
It's not the first time the sale of the garda station, closed in 2013 and acquired by council in 2018, has come before members.
Last year, councillors blocked its initial sale to the same party, with concerns enough alternatives had not been explored to Newenham's proposal, which it says will take two years to complete.
Metropolitan district leader, Cllr Olivia O'Sullivan said: "We asked the council to send this property back into the market, advertise it widely, cast the net a little wider."
She conceded that having done this, there were still a relatively small number of parties interested.
"The people who have proposed to take on the building have a strong track record. We feel this is the best chance for the building to be restored," she said.
Councillor Kieran O'Hanlon added: "Council does not have the funding to refurbish it. I believe disposing of this for what I hope will be a very successful refurbishment will add to the whole area of Nicholas Street, Mary Street and Athlunkard Street."